Leaving Han Mei's office.
Jiang Yi returned to her desk in the office, feeling dejected.
Although she usually had a good temper, being repeatedly targeted by Han Mei had sparked considerable anger in her heart.
However, she was currently short on money and still owed Jiang Tao a debt of over a hundred thousand yuan.
She desperately needed this job to earn more money and didn't dare to quit easily.
The other colleagues in the office looked at Jiang Yi with expressions ranging from schadenfreude to sympathy.
To successfully secure a teaching position at Eddie Kindergarten, one needed not only strong professional skills but also an outstanding figure and appearance.
As a result, the female teachers at the school were all head-turners, beauties who would attract attention walking down the street.
But even among this group of beautiful teachers, Jiang Yi stood out as exceptional.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have caught the eye of that Director Liu at first glance.
Women tend to be quite competitive with each other. While her colleagues in the office were polite to Jiang Yi on the surface, many of them were secretly jealous of her.
A few unmarried female colleagues, upon hearing that Director Liu had taken a liking to her, were green with envy.
Although Director Liu was already in his fifties, he maintained a habit of exercising and staying fit, and his privileged lifestyle kept him in better shape than many thirty-something corporate workers. He was even somewhat handsome!
Most importantly, this Director Liu was currently single, with no wife or children at home!
Such a man was practically a real-life diamond bachelor!
What others could only dream of had fallen into Jiang Yi's lap, yet she seemed to avoid it like the plague.
While everyone was jealous, they also secretly criticized her for being foolish and naive for not seizing the opportunity!
On top of that, she was now being targeted by Han Mei.
A few female colleagues who weren't particularly close to Jiang Yi even felt a bit of schadenfreude.
Han Mei hadn't held back in praising Director Liu in front of Jiang Yi, describing him as a rare, exceptional man.
Successful in his career, sincere and generous, kind to others, refined in speech, and very handsome.
But Jiang Yi genuinely had no interest in this Director Liu—not even the slightest bit.
As a result, she had no desire to get entangled with him and had rejected him outright.
However, Han Mei clearly had other ideas, determined to play matchmaker between the two.
"Sigh… What a hassle."
Jiang Yi twirled the pen in her hand, letting out a quiet sigh in her heart, feeling for the first time the troubles that being single brought her.
*Ring ring ring—*
Her phone suddenly rang in her pocket.
Jiang Yi pulled out her phone and glanced at it. The caller ID displayed the name "Jiang Tao."
Seeing Jiang Tao's call, Jiang Yi was slightly stunned and a bit puzzled.
Jiang Tao rarely called her during work hours—this was the first time.
After a moment's hesitation, Jiang Yi slid her slender, fair finger across the screen to answer the call.
"Hello, Jiang Tao."
"Today at noon? I'm… uh…"
"What? You, you, you've already asked for leave on my behalf from Director Han?"
"Director Han is coming too?"
"Oh… Okay, I understand."
"Mm, bye."
After a brief conversation over the phone, Jiang Yi hung up, her expression somewhat dazed.
"What's going on? Jiang Tao is inviting me and Director Han to lunch together??"
Jiang Yi couldn't fathom what Jiang Tao's intentions were, but she definitely had to give him this face.
…
At an open space outside the village of Xiaoshahe.
*Ring ring ring—*
Jiang Tao had just hung up with Jiang Yi when another call came in.
The caller ID showed the name "Xiao Qi."
"Hello, Xiao Qi."
After answering the call, Jiang Tao smiled and greeted Jiang Jiaqi on the other end.
"Your parents are already here? That was fast. Alright, I'll head over now."
"Get the contract ready first."
"Alright, see you in a bit."
After hanging up with Jiang Jiaqi, Jiang Tao started the car and drove his Mercedes-Benz G-Class toward the Jiang Family Food Factory in Baigezhuang Industrial Zone.
In less than 20 minutes, the G-Class pulled up to the entrance of the food factory.
The so-called "main entrance" wasn't exactly grand—it was at most about five meters wide.
With the two large iron gates taking up some space, the G-Class could barely fit through.
Jiang Tao didn't bother driving inside and parked the car right at the entrance.
He got out and walked into the factory.
As soon as he entered, through the large office window, Jiang Tao saw Jiang Jiaqi talking to a man and a woman inside the office.
Hearing the noise in the courtyard, Jiang Jiaqi turned her head and spotted Jiang Tao.
Her small face lit up with joy as she opened the office door and came out to greet him.
"Uncle Tao, you're here!"
Jiang Jiaqi jogged a few steps to meet Jiang Tao, smiling sweetly as she greeted him.
Jiang Jiaqi's parents followed her out of the office.
"Jiang Tao, we're here to join you."
"If your sister-in-law and I mess anything up, don't hold back. Tell us what we did wrong, scold us if you need to."
"If we can't do the job well, we won't make things difficult for you. We'll resign and go back to our hometown."
"And we won't have any complaints!"
Jiang Jianjun expressed his attitude to Jiang Tao as soon as they met.
This guy was clearly an honest man, his straightforward and earnest demeanor practically spilling over.
"Thank you, Jiang Tao, for giving me and Old Jiang such a great opportunity."
Yang Wenyan looked at Jiang Tao with gratitude in her eyes.
She was equally excited about the job at the Jiang Family Food Factory.
In her entire life, she had never had a job with such high pay and good benefits!
If she could successfully join the Jiang Family Food Factory, she wouldn't just earn more money now.
With social security benefits in the capital, when she retired, her pension would be much higher than that of the elderly back in the village, giving her a more promising future.
"Brother Jianjun, Sister-in-law Wenyan, no need to be so polite. There's no pressure when it comes to work."
"Since I invited you both here, I'm confident you can handle the job."
Jiang Tao smiled and greeted Jiang Jianjun and Yang Wenyan, his tone warm but with a subtle sense of professional distance.
Hiring acquaintances has its pros and cons.
The advantage is that everyone knows each other well, so it's easier to trust them.
The downside is that being too familiar can make management tricky.
So, maintaining a certain level of distance at work is necessary.
After exchanging a few pleasantries at the office entrance, Jiang Tao ushered them inside.
They chatted casually for a bit, and Jiang Tao discussed some work and compensation details with Jiang Jianjun and Yang Wenyan.
As promised, after deductions for social insurance and housing fund, their take-home pay would be no less than 5,000 yuan.
Jiang Jianjun and Yang Wenyan were thrilled with the salary and had no objections whatsoever.
"Xiao Qi, find some time today to take your parents for a physical exam."
"And get their health certificates processed while you're at it."
"Once the physical exam is cleared and the health certificates are obtained, we can sign the official employment contracts."
Even though everyone was familiar with each other, the necessary procedures for onboarding still had to be followed.
The Jiang Family Food Factory was a food-related business, so health certificates were a must. Even Jiang Tao's parents had gotten theirs—no exceptions.
The pre-employment physical exam couldn't be skipped either.
Better safe than sorry.
If any occupational health issues were discovered after hiring, it could lead to complications.
It's best not to test human nature if it can be avoided!
They chatted until around 11 a.m.
Jiang Tao instructed Jiang Jiaqi to get 5,000 yuan from Jiang Bing to cover her parents' physical exams, health certificates, and to purchase some daily necessities.
There was a simple container house in the factory courtyard that could be used for living.
From now on, Jiang Jianjun and Yang Wenyan would live here and also take on night security duties for the factory.
In addition to their regular salaries, Jiang Tao offered each of them an extra 1,500 yuan for security shifts.
This way, the couple could save on rent while earning a bit more—a win-win.
At 11:18 a.m., Jiang Tao said goodbye to Jiang Jianjun's family, got into the G-Class parked at the entrance, and drove off.
"Jiang Tao has really made it big…"
Watching the Mercedes-Benz G-Class disappear into the distance, Jiang Jianjun turned to his wife and daughter, letting out a heartfelt sigh.
"Yeah! He feels completely different now, like he's got the aura of a big boss."
Yang Wenyan nodded in agreement. In her eyes, Jiang Tao had transformed, like he was a different person!
This was partly the result of Jiang Tao's recent dedication to exercise, which had greatly improved his physique.
It was also tied to the strong sense of achievement and confidence that came with his rapidly growing wealth.
A confident man is the most charming!
"Uncle Tao really seems like a different person—so handsome, so poised!"
Jiang Jiaqi stared in the direction where Jiang Tao's car had gone, her face showing a hint of infatuation.
"Oh, right, Mom and Dad! I've got some big news to share!"
"What big news?"
Jiang Jiaqi's parents looked at her curiously.
Jiang Jiaqi said directly, "I heard from Grandpa Jiang Wen that Uncle Tao has developed a new barbecue sauce recipe, and it'll be mass-produced here at the factory."
"Uh… how is that big news?"
Jiang Jianjun was a bit disappointed after hearing his daughter's words. What kind of big news was that?
Yang Wenyan also looked at her daughter, puzzled, not seeing what was so great about this news.
"Oh, come on, Mom and Dad, use your brains!"
Jiang Jiaqi was exasperated by her honest-to-a-fault parents.
"Think about it—how many people are in our factory right now?"
"There's just Uncle Tao, Grandpa Jiang Wen, Grandma Tian, Aunt Jiang Bing, and our little family."
"What does that mean? It means Uncle Tao values our family highly."
"If the factory adds production lines for other products in the future, they'll definitely need to hire more workers."
"When that happens, we'll be the company's veteran employees. Promotions and raises won't be far off, right?"
The more Jiang Jiaqi spoke, the more excited she got, as if she could already see herself becoming a corporate executive, earning tens of thousands a month, and buying a car and a house in the capital.
"Your mom and I don't know much. We're just workers, not leadership material."
Jiang Jianjun shook his head, already backing off before even trying.
Like Jiang Tao's uncle-in-law, Tian Xiaoguang, he had struggled at the bottom of society for most of his life, his edges long smoothed out by life.
He had long accepted his own mediocrity and was content with it.
If someone gave him a straightforward task and told him how to do it, he could do it well.
But the thought of being a leader and managing others made his head spin.
Yang Wenyan chimed in, "Your dad's right. You should be content with what you have. You can only handle as much as your abilities allow.
Your Uncle Tao is giving us such great pay and benefits—we're already very satisfied.
You young people have plenty of opportunities ahead, and you learn quickly.
Qiqi, you need to perform well, make your Uncle Tao take notice, and maybe he'll promote you."
"…"
Hearing her parents' words, Jiang Jiaqi gave a wry smile and didn't try to persuade them further.
Everyone has their own aspirations.
With her parents' mindset, changing their perspective in the short term wouldn't be easy.
Like most parents, they might resign themselves to mediocrity or half-giving up, but they were relentless when it came to pushing their kids.
What they couldn't achieve in their youth, they wanted their children to accomplish.
"Let's find a place to eat first. This afternoon, I'll take you to check out the production workshop, and tomorrow morning, I'll take you for the physical exam."
Jiang Jiaqi decided not to push her parents further and changed the subject with a smile.
Actually, her mom wasn't entirely wrong.
If she and her dad passed the physical exam and successfully joined the Jiang Family Food Factory, it would already be a pretty good job for them.
A take-home salary of 5,000 yuan, plus an extra 1,500 yuan for security shifts, meant a monthly income of 6,500 yuan.
Plus, they didn't have to pay for housing, and each got a 500-yuan meal subsidy.
They wouldn't need to spend a single cent of their salary.
In theory, the couple could save 14,000 yuan a month!
With some mid-year and year-end bonuses, they could easily save 160,000 to 170,000 yuan a year!
That's over 100,000 yuan more than they used to earn in a year!
If the folks back in the village found out, they'd be green with envy.
Jiang Tao had told them to keep their salaries confidential and not blab about it in the village, likely for this very reason.
…
At 11:55 a.m.
A black Mercedes-Benz G-Class pulled into a temporary open-air parking spot on the right side of Eddie Kindergarten's main entrance.
Jiang Tao got out of the car, a cigarette in hand that he hadn't yet lit, when he saw a familiar and striking figure jogging out from the school gate.
She wore a light, floral-patterned dress with a white cropped jacket over it.
Her smooth, long hair swayed like fine silk as she ran.
Her delicate, fair face was slightly flushed, likely from running, adding a touch of beauty.
Jiang Tao's gaze locked onto Jiang Yi as she ran toward him, his hand pausing mid-motion as he was about to light his cigarette.
As a normal man, Jiang Yi's beauty and grace weren't entirely without effect on him.
Especially her outfit today, so feminine, it hit all of Jiang Tao's preferences.
"Huff… huff… Sorry, Jiang Tao, for keeping you waiting."
"How about I treat you to a coffee to make up for it?"
Jiang Yi stopped in front of Jiang Tao, slightly out of breath, and handed him a cup of warm coffee.
"How did Teacher Jiang know I like coffee? Oh, I get it—it must've been Jiang Xue who told you, right?"
Jiang Tao teased Jiang Yi with a smile, taking the coffee from her and saying, "Thanks, Teacher Jiang."
Jiang Yi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a bit embarrassed, and said, "No need to thank me. It's just free coffee from the office break room."
"Uh, haha, Teacher Jiang, you don't have to be *that* honest."
Jiang Tao was amused by Jiang Yi's candor—so very her!
"Come on, Teacher Jiang, get in the car. It's about time—let's talk on the way."
Jiang Tao gestured to Jiang Yi, then turned and opened the car door to get in.
Jiang Yi hesitated for a moment, then walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, got in, and fastened her seatbelt.
The seatbelt accentuated her curves, highlighting an enticing silhouette.
No doubt about it—Jiang Yi's figure was top-notch, and all natural.
Jiang Tao had seen her in pajamas at her place before and even in tight yoga clothes.
Muttering to himself to "look away," Jiang Tao shifted his focus from her curves, started the car, and drove toward Wanxiang Plaza.
Along the way, Jiang Yi several times wanted to ask why Jiang Tao had suddenly invited her and Director Han to lunch together.
But she held back.
"Could it be that he wants to ask Director Han to take extra care of Xiao Xue, and I'm just there to break the ice?"
"Or maybe he's not that close with Director Han and doesn't have much to talk about, so he invited me to liven things up?"
"Does he even know that Director Han and I don't get along? What if I mess this up…"
The more Jiang Yi thought about it, the heavier her mood became, feeling the weight of responsibility.
"Um, Jiang Tao, actually, Director Han and I…"
"I know. Has Director Han been giving you a hard time lately?"
Jiang Tao cut her off before she could explain.
"You—how did you know? Then why did you…"
Jiang Yi looked at Jiang Tao in confusion, her mind filled with questions.
"It's exactly because she's been giving you a hard time that I invited both of you to lunch—to help smooth things over between you two."
As he drove, Jiang Tao started building goodwill with Jiang Yi, subtly working to his own advantage.
"What? Jiang Tao, you…"
Hearing that Jiang Tao's lunch was actually to help mend her relationship with Director Han, Jiang Yi's pretty face showed a mix of surprise, astonishment, and overwhelming gratitude.
Oh no—why did her eyes suddenly feel warm, like something was about to spill out?
The feeling of being unexpectedly cared for by someone when she felt helpless struck a deep chord in Jiang Yi's heart.
Her gaze lingered on his eyes, his face. Whether it was because of her emotions or some illusion, she felt that Jiang Tao's features looked even more appealing, more defined, more handsome.
In truth, this was due to the charm points Jiang Tao had gained after triggering a special event in the past couple of days.
It wasn't just Jiang Yi who felt he looked more attractive and handsome.
Xu Li, Du Ennan, Jiang Bing, his parents, and even Jiang Jiaqi had all noticed changes in Jiang Tao.
And, in a tacit understanding, everyone attributed these changes to the boost in charm from his successful career.
They all thought they were seeing Jiang Tao through a "filter" of his accomplishments.
But the truth was the least likely explanation—Jiang Tao had genuinely become more handsome!
The increase in charm points didn't just affect his aura; it also subtly refined his features.
The adjustments were so masterful that they left no trace.
Looking at Jiang Tao's face, Jiang Yi's heart suddenly started beating faster.
This feeling…
"If only… if only he weren't married."
Jiang Yi was startled by her own thought.
She realized that this sudden thought meant she was developing feelings for Jiang Tao!
But she knew she could never do something like that—never become the third party in someone else's marriage.
With that in mind, Jiang Yi quickly averted her gaze from Jiang Tao's face, guiltily turning to look out the window at the rapidly passing street scenery.
"No need to say thanks. Helping you is also helping myself."
"If you're stuck working overtime every day, who's going to tutor our Xiao Xue with her homework?"
Jiang Tao's explanation left Jiang Yi noncommittal.
Was he saying that just to make her feel less indebted?
"No matter what, I still have to thank you, Jiang Tao."
"You've helped me out big time again."
This time, Jiang Yi didn't dare look at Jiang Tao again, her gaze fixed outside the window, her gratitude toward him growing even stronger.
Last time, he had lent her money to cover her niece Jiang Anan's surgery costs.
And now, he was…
Could it be that he also…
Jiang Yi quickly shook her head to dispel the thought as it surfaced.
"No need to be polite. We've known each other for years—we're friends, right?"
"Friends help each other out. It's only natural."
"More friends, more paths. Who knows, I might need Teacher Jiang's help someday too."
"No, not someday—I already do now, don't I?"
"Xu Li told me Xiao Xue's grades have been improving rapidly lately, all thanks to your excellent teaching."
Jiang Tao kept the conversation light as he drove.
"Ahem, not really. It's mainly because Xiao Xue is smart and picks things up quickly."
Talking about the kids, Jiang Yi suddenly said, "Oh, right, Jiang Tao, my brother and Anan have been wanting to treat you to dinner to thank you in person."
"When are you free? Let's set a time for a casual meal."
Jiang Yi suddenly remembered her brother's request and took the chance to bring it up again with Jiang Tao.
She had mentioned it to him once before, but Jiang Tao had brushed it off, citing his busy schedule.
It had been over ten days since she first brought it up.
Jiang Tao still hadn't given her a clear answer, probably having forgotten about it entirely.
To Jiang Tao, it might just be a trivial matter.
But to Jiang Yi, her brother Jiang Hai, and her niece Jiang Anan, his kindness was something they'd never forget in their lifetime.
Jiang Tao thought for a moment before brushing it off again, "I've been pretty busy lately. Let's talk about it after this busy period."
He had lent Jiang Yi over a hundred thousand yuan without Xu Li's knowledge.
Though he had nothing to hide and his intentions were purely to invest in Jiang Anan for a 10,000% return, not because he was after Jiang Yi, it wasn't something easy to explain to Xu Li.
"Oh…"
"No problem, your work comes first."
Jiang Yi smiled understandingly at Jiang Tao's response, though she felt a slight pang of disappointment.